Album of the Month, April: Alabama Shakes- Boys and GIrls

Toughest month to pick so far, and that’s why an album I haven’t even played on cdb yet is the pick(though that’s mainly blamed on me not having a show for the past few weeks). The band has made it’s name based on it’s live performances, and their debut album has captured a lot of their energy and displayed it well. Strong southern roots in the music and the singer’s wonderfully powerful voice makes this album flow well from start to finish, and that’s enough to make it the best new album I heard in April

Track Suggestions:

Be Mine

I Ain’t the Same

I Found You

Interview: Comedian, Mike Birbiglia

Our very own Ethan Ullman (Thursdays 10pm-midnight) interviewed Mike Birbiglia who will be performing at The Egg on May 2nd. To win tickets just stay tuned to WCDB!

Click to listen to the full interview!

Local Limelight Interview: The Summer Switch

Tony Pitkin (Vocals)
Ian Dorset (Guitar/Vocals)
Ethan Rose (Guitar/Vocals)
Eric Rosen (Bass)
Ryan Wager (Drums)

The Summer Switch is a local five piece band that is breaking down barriers on the pop punk scene. These guys can always be spotted a mile away, not only from their unique ability to create a blending of harmonic vocals with the intensity of their instrumentals, but also by the amount of energy that is always brought when they set foot on the stage. This band is accustomed to playing in small venues but their talent is truly put on display when they are able to play off of the energy of a larger, more aggressive crowd. If you are questioning the talent of this band, consider taking a look at their fan base. Three towns are proud enough to call them local artist and it’s well deserved. They have catchy lyrics that get stuck in your head for days and a passion for music that comes across every time they perform, showcasing their dedication and love for their art, thus turning anyone with a respect for music into a fan instantly.

You can check these guys out on Facebook for more of their music, including their EP and follow them on Twitter for events and happenings from the band.

For the interview…

Live Show: See You Next Year, The Fallen Starlets, Nine Votes Short, and ExoVox Review

Valentine’s of Albany is known for hosting local bands and putting on shows that make people proud to live in the area. Well, folks, this show didn’t disappoint. The line up consisted of See You Next Year (SYNY), The Fallen Starlet, Nine Votes Shorts, and ExoVox.

The show kicked off with local band SYNY, a pop punk band with the job of getting the crowd pumped up for the rest of the show. Instrumentally, these guys brought the energy.

Album of the Month, March: Oberhofer- Time Capsules II

Oberhofer’s a band  from Brooklyn that got named after it’s lead singer, Brad Oberhofer, and they released their debut album Time Capsules II  officially on March 27th. Fortunately we got it into WCDB a while ago now, so many of the songs have already been drilled into my head with fun and catchy melodies. It’s not like the sound is unprecedented , whistling in indie music happens frequently and has become pretty cheap, while syllabic elongation/meaningless choruses are widely accepted(at least in Indie Pop). The track names look like text messages and the singer’s voice isn’t natural either, as he stresses each syllable while altering pronunciations(though I actually enjoy his approach a lot). So what makes this album different and actually substantial?

Local Limelight: My Favorite Fence

Christopher Banach: Guitar/Vocals/Keys
Kyle Sunderland: Guitar/Vocals/Keys
Benjamin Knowles: Drums/Vocals
Brendon Lachance: Bass guitar

My Favorite Fence is an alternative rock band that has a laid back groove to their music. They can often be found playing at local venues and playing alongside other acts similar to their sound such as The Pistolwhips, another local band. Not only is their music something to be enjoyed through your speakers via their demo, but live, these guys always bring energy to the stage. When they play, especially in intimate settings, they make you feel as if they are putting on a show for your ears only. Their harmonic vocals and exuberant instrumentals resonate through your body and connect you to the band in a way that many try and few actually succeed at doing.

You can check them out at http://www.facebook.com/myfavoritefence to hear more of their music, see where they’re playing next and leave them some love on their wall.

Johnny Neon – Hearts

Dogs? Synth-pop? Cape Town? Sounds like a party to me!!!!

Album of the Month, February: Of Montreal- Paralytic Stalks

For January my favorite album was Paralytic Stalks by of Montreal, a band that’s actually from Georgia but is named after a girl lead singer Kevin Barnes used to be with that was “of Montreal”…  When I first tried to get into the band many of their earlier works frustrated me with annoyingly frank and simple concepts (Tim I wish you were born a girl immediately comes to mind), but this certainly isn’t the case with Paralytic Stalks. 

5 People, 1 Guitar

This is straight up awesome.  Beautiful song.  Creative cover.

Watch the new Barons in the Attic Video!

Our friends have just released a music video for their song, “Julia” on the latest album, Turn It Off and Take Out The Battery.  You can download the whole thing here

You can also catch the band at WCDB’s 34th Anniversary!  It’s a 2 day festival with a bunch of bands, giveaways, and more.  More information can be found on the Facebook event.